Life's Curveballs
by rachelAbendstern
Summary: Life always throws curveballs at you you just have to learn to deal with them.Ryancentered. SLASH!


Title: Life's Curveballs

Author: rachelAbendstern

Characters: Ryan Wolfe, Tim Speedle, Tyler Jenkins, Eric Delko

Summary: Summary? For Drabbles? Oh come on!  


Disclaimer: No, they don't belong to me...

Warning: And once again: this is slash! Nothing too graphic but implied. Deal with it!

Author's Notes: This is a series of three drabbles, that I came up with during my two hour wait at the train station yesterday. Hope you enjoy.

1. Past

He met Tim Speedle when he was fresh out of the academy.

He was an inexperienced rookie patrolling with an older officer he later became pretty good friends with. They were called to the scene of a suspected murder. It had been the first time he ever saw what a gun could do when it is held against your head. The spatter of brain matter all over the place was... well, he still sometimes has nightmares of it.

The next thing he knew he was leaning against the car, trying to hold down his breakfast, when a stranger came up to him, asking him with this unforgettable mix of sarcasm, mischief, curiosity and concern if this was his 'first time'. At his numb question of who would do a thing like that, the man only answered, "That's what we're here to find out."

He was hooked at that moment. Both to the notion of solving a case, being there from the beginning right through to the end, and to the man who spoke those words.

Tim had taken him under his wing during that case, showing him what he needed to look out for, and when the man invited him to a drink afterwards, it didn't even occur to him to decline.

They continued to go out for drinks. Once a month became once a week became... something different.

He doesn't remember when or why their feelings changed from friendship to something deeper. But he remembers that they were good together, that they were happy – he was happy. It was the best time of his life.

And then Tim died.

2. Present

He met Tyler Jenkins the day he joined the crime lab.

Even now he is a friendly presence in a sea of people who are still mourning for their lost friend... not knowing that he is in mourning too, because he never says something and Tim has kept their little secret.

He doesn't remember why they kept it a secret. It was just nice to know something others didn't and to imagine the look on their faces when they finally did find out. But sometimes he wishes...

It doesn't matter what he wishes. It's too late now.

Tyler asked him out on a drink earlier on today and he accepted. Despite what people may think he's a social person and the coldness towards him here is killing him. But Tim just died and that is killing him even more, so after his first drink, there comes another and another and soon, he's had more than he can handle.

What follows are jumbled pictures and emotions and the knowledge that he's making a mistake. When he wakes up the next morning, with Tyler still pressed close to him, he hopes he hasn't forfeit his friendship with the man. But he still thinks so much about Tim that it would feel like cheating on Tyler and he is already feeling as if he cheated on someone.

Last night was way too soon.

3. Future

He met Eric Delko, too, when he first joined the crime lab.

But these days... somehow, sometimes, it feels as if they only just met. Their relationship wasn't the best for a long time, although lately things are changing. He still misses Tim but he has learned to move on. And so has Eric.

In the beginning, they had to work for the uneasy truce they had established. Now, things come easy. Meeting up after work for drinks, talking about God and the world, even watching a movie in the theatres once in a while; everything comes easy now.

Both Tyler and Alexx keep teasing him that Eric takes him out on dates without him even noticing. And maybe they are right. After all, he has never talked about Tim to anyone but to his first and best friend in the lab and the woman who has taken to mothering him once she realized that he hasn't joined the team to take her dead friend's place. He never tells anyone about Tim, but he told Eric last night. And Eric kissed him good night. So, yes, may be those two actually have reason to tease him.

He's beginning to feel something he hasn't felt in a long time.

He feels hope again.

The End


End file.
